This invention pertains to an apparatus and method for collecting solar energy and using it to heat or cool space. More particularly, this invention pertains to a solar heat pump that collects at low temperatures solar heat that would be lost by conventional collectors and increases the temperature thereof, by means of a heat pump, so as to render it useful for space heating. This invention also relates to the use of a vapor jet compressor pump as a heat pump in conjunction with a thermal barrier solar collector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,523 describes art relating to the heating or cooling of a heat transfer medium involving vaporization of a portion of the fluid.